By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

Last week, we launched StreetFire’s new homepage for registered users—you had to be logged in to see it—but now, we’ve taken the plunge and pushed it out for everyone. At the very top of the page, you’ll still see a widget highlighting nine videos Nads and I have picked, but everything under that has changed. In addition to a section showcasing the Popular New Videos, there’s a new home for our Channel Partners—Speedhunters, Bang Shift, SpeedTV—and a constantly updated area showing the Newest Videos on the site. Since StreetFire and CarDomain are totally BBFs now, we canned the StreetFire blog and added a feed that will feature the lastest posts to the CarDomain blog. That means you’ll see stuff from writers other than me, which I’ve been told is a very, very good thing. Overall, we’re really happy with the redesign, and think it will do a much better job of showcasing all the awesome content on StreetFire.  Head over, check it out, and let us know what you think!

By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

Recently, most of the news about diesel engines has revolved around the fact that today’s diesel motors are not the slow, dirty powerplants of yesteryear. And while this 740HP pickup definitely isn’t slow, it sure as hell is dirty. Now, I know it’s not really fair to compare a drag-tuned truck to something like Mercedes’ Bluetec engines—the first to win certification in California in two decades—but that’s all I could think about when I was watching this clip. Seriously, a few more seconds on the starting line, and I don’t think that the driver would have been able to see anything.

By John Naderi

StreetFire.net

I first met Vaughn Gittin Jr. in a non-descript Maryland strip mall parking lot on a Wednesday night in September of 2001. He was hanging out at the kickoff party for the old Super Street Tour. He was introduced to me as a “drifter” but I was nonplussed. Keep in mind, at this point I had already been to Japan and witnessed Taniguchi manji the OG HKS S15 at Bihoku Highland. I was already a JDM drift fan boy with no time for a wannabe. Fast forward to last Saturday night and I see JR at a party. He is no longer the fresh-faced kid I remember. Now he walks with a swagger that can only come after running the high bank of Irwindale harder than the world’s best drifters. In this picture he’s riding the wall on the 100 mph first turn at the Red Bull event in his 2008 car, “Betsy”. On this day he would later tag the wall too hard retiring the car. But that’s his style – go big or… you know the rest. This year, poppa JR’s gotta a brand new bag. Hit the jump to see the video. As an added bonus check out the verbal smackdown he lays on Samuel Hubinette at the 1:57 mark.

Continue reading "Vaughn Gittin Jr and His Superbad Falken Drift 2010 Mustang GT" »

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

This goofy contraption inspired by the Happy Jack H2 Commercialis was built on 1991 S10 pickup chassis. I’d actually never seen the H2 ad that inspired this thing until now. Not a huge fan of the H2, but I’d say the ad makes good use of one of my favorite Who songs. See more pics of this wood Hummer on eBay. Via Jalopnik

By Brian Lohnes

BangShift.com

Chevy Nomads are one of the few cars that will be eternally cool. Maybe that’s why Robert “Nick” Nichols wanted one and was willing to wait for it—for 50 years to be exact! Acting on a promise from his wife he was finally able to score a cherry 1955 two-door wagon and put all those years of planning into action. What he ended with is a car that is eternally driveable, sprightly, and able to be cruised across the country if he ever chose to do so.

This is an example of some creative thinking, great use of factory and aftermarket parts, and a guy seeing through his vision for a car that he had dreamt about for decades. Nick told us that he shows and drives the car as much as possible, and as a retired member of the US Army, he has certainly earned the right to do so.

We thank Nick for his service and for letting us crawl all over his hot rod. Click here to see the photos and get the skinny on one totally bitchin’ Nomad.

By Ben Schaffer

The Real JDM

Top Secret is preparing to release their first new product for the Z34 370Z! Produced in carbon fiber, this high end front spoiler is all function! The spoiler utilizes integrated brake ducts, similar in execution to their R35 GT-R front diffuser. The shape is reworked to allow increased downforce while retaining the street ability of the car. The carbon fiber serves for function and also for looks considering that it covers a generous portion of the stock bumper in carbon fiber. Continue reading at The Real JDM

By Dan Strohl

Hemmings

A few weeks ago, I wrote up a preview of the upcoming RM Icons of Speed and Style auction for the Hemmings e-Weekly Newsletter, but ever since, I’ve been enthralled by the cars that will be offered at the auction. In particular, if there’s one car there I would sell a kidney or other body part for, it wouldn’t be the Deora or the Road Agent or the Khougaz roadster. It would be the Art Gerrick lakes modified. RM has it listed as lot R23, estimated to go for $40,000 to $60,000. Continue reading at Hemmings

By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

Many of us dream (with me pleading guilty on all counts) of one day owning a Bentley, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Pagani, Lamborghini, or Bugatti. But, if you think realistically, a whole many of us, will never own a real luxury car or a real exotic, supercar or hypercar. All that exquisite luxury, with a seemingly infinite amount of power, soul, and passion comes at a terrible price –quite literally, at that.

Enter Ernie. Like many of us, Ernie would love to own a super car, hyper car, mid-life crisis car, but he’s come to the realization that, really, it is almost impossible. He’s a guy that has worked on and built countless amounts of race and show cars (mostly SC400s). He’s seen much soul and passion in his days, but he’s never actually been able to possess such qualities in a car that is his very own. This car is Ernie’s dream car. It embodies his passion and love he has for his favorite car, the Lexus SC400 (or Toyota Soarer for you super car nerds out there). Continue reading at Speedhunters

By Linhbergh Nguyen

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

I just got word from Neil Tjin that the GM Design Camaro winners list has been leaked. It’s no big surprise that Neil is on the list. Here it is:

Tjin Edition – Neil Tjin
National Guard – Nick Ashby
Rick Bottom Designs – Rick Bottom
Sound Choice Audio and Performance – Mark Abate
Bomex Aero
DSO Eyewear
Conrad Grunewald
Trent’s Trick Upholstery

Neil is promising to send us his rendering as soon as everything has been finalized, and of course he will document the entire build on CarDomain, right up until the car debuts at SEMA! So stay tuned…

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Saw this over at StangNet. It was spotted on Balboa Island in Newport Beach, California. More pics after the jump!

Continue reading "Mustang Golf Cart" »